Workshop 3: CONTROL OF MICROBIAL GROWTH

1. The thermal death time for a suspension of B. subtilis endospores is 30 minutes in dry heat
and less than 10 minutes in an autoclave. Which type of heat is more effective and why?

2. Explain how Thermal death point (TDP) differs from Thermal death time (TDT).

3. Fill in the following table.

Method of Temp. Time Type of Preferred Type of Action

Control Heat Use against Microbe

Autoclaving

Hot Air Oven

Pasteurisation

4. What are five (5) factors, which influence effective control of microbes and briefly explain
them?

5. Discuss the differences between gamma and ultraviolet radiation. Give one example of their
application. What is their anti-microbial effect due to?

6. How can heat-sensitive solutions, such as glucose-minimal salts (microbial growth) medium
be sterilised?

7. Why is food treated by pasteurisation when it does not achieve sterilisation?

Case study

Sally is a manager of the infection control unit in a public hospital. During her inspection this
morning, she found that surgical instruments had been autoclaved at 108 C. She immediately
called off all scheduled surgeries on the day due to the concern of potentially exposing patients
to risks of infection.

1
1) Has Sally made a right decision? Justify your answer?

2) Explain how sterilisation is different from disinfection and sanitization.

3) What are the commonly used methods of sterilisation? Which one is the preferred method to
cleaning surgical instruments?

4) Can glutaraldehyde be used to sterilize surgical instrument?

5) Rank the microbes based on their resistance to antimicrobial treatment: Gram =ve, Gram –ve,
enveloped viruses, non-enveloped viruses, fungi, endospores